Apparatus and method for enhanced prize gaming ticket

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for enhancing a prize awarded to a player of one or more instant win lottery games on a single gaming ticket. The apparatus and method determine a final prize multiplier which varies with each instant win lottery game won or with the rounds or steps during the play of a single game on the gaming ticket, thereby increasing a player&#39;s level of excitement and anticipation during the course of game play.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a gaming ticket for an instant win lottery game and a method for playing the same, and in particular, to a gaming ticket including at least two instant win lottery games or plays in which a prize awarded to a player for each winning game or play on the gaming ticket is enhanced by a multiplier value determined from the number of winning games or plays on the gaming ticket.

Gaming tickets providing instant win lottery games are well known and widely practiced. A typical gaming ticket provides a player with one or more discrete instant win lottery games which are played to determine if a prize has been won. Often, the instant win lottery games are variations on commonly played casino card games or number games, such as Poker, Blackjack, or Roulette. The gaming ticket face provides a background section, a game play section, and optionally, an instruction section. The background section often contains colorful artwork or other indicia intended to attract a player's attention. The game play section provides game elements necessary for a player to play the provided games, while the instruction section may optionally provide the player with instructions on how to play the provided games and collect any winnings. The reverse side of the gaming ticket often includes additional game play or prize collection instructions, as well as various legal disclaimers and game validation codes associated with the lottery organization offering the gaming ticket for sale.

A typical game play section provides a player with the elements required to play at least one game. Commonly, some or all of the elements are initially obscured from the player's view by means of a perforated pull tab or removable obscuring material, such as a latex ink. Removal of the pull tab or obscuring material during the game play reveals the hidden indicia, such as a hand of cards or a set of player's numbers. Depending upon the particular rules of the game being played, these indicia are utilized to determine if the player has won or lost the game. For some games, a win or loss is predetermined, but concealed from the player, at the time of printing the gaming ticket. The act of revealing the initially hidden indicia after the purchase of the ticket reveals the win or loss. For other games, the player's selection or choices of which game elements to reveal during the course of play may be utilized to determine a win or loss, adding to the player's involvement and excitement during the play of the game.

Prize amount for the individual games on a gaming ticket is usually predetermined and fixed, and is optionally revealed during the play of the game by the player. To increase the player's excitement, a concealed predetermined prize multiplier may be provided. After revealing all of the winning games on a gaming ticket, the player reveals the concealed prize multiplier, and determines the total winning amount for the game ticket by multiplying the prizes won by the revealed prize multiplier value, i.e. 2×, 4×, 10×, etc. However, since the concealed prize multiplier is predetermined, a player may reveal the concealed prize multiplier value before playing any of the games on the gaming ticket, and know that any prizes won will be multiplied by the revealed value.

Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a gaming ticket on which two or more games or game plays are provided, and which incorporates a prize enhancing or prize multiplying feature which enhances the base prize values by a multiple which is unknown to the player prior to completion of all of the games or plays on the gaming ticket, and which thereby provides the player with an increased level of excitement during game play.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly stated, the present invention provides an apparatus and method for enhancing a total prize awarded to a player of one or more instant win lottery games on a gaming ticket. The apparatus and method determine a final prize multiplier which varies with each game or play won on a single gaming ticket, thereby increasing the player's level of excitement and anticipation during the course of play.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a gaming ticket having a unitary ticket body on which is provided concealed game play indicia for at least two instant win lottery games. Each instant win lottery game provides a player with the possibility of winning an associated base prize amount when the concealed game play indicia is revealed during game play. The gaming ticket further includes a set of instructions for calculating a final prize amount which is equal to the sum of all associated base prize amounts won, multiplied by the number of winning instant win lottery games on the gaming ticket.

A method of the present invention for calculating a final prize amount awarded to a player of a gaming ticket requires the initial step of playing at least two instant win lottery games on the gaming ticket, each of which awards the player with an associated base prize amount in the event of a win. A final prize amount awarded to the player of the gaming ticket is calculated to award the player an amount equal to the total number of instant win lottery games on the gaming ticket won, multiplied by the total amount of associated base prizes awarded to the player.

In a first alternate embodiment, the present invention provides a gaming ticket having a unitary ticket body on which is provided concealed game play indicia for at least one instant win lottery game requiring at least two plays or rounds to complete. Each play or round of the game provides a player with the possibility of winning an associated score and a base prize amount when the concealed game play indicia is revealed during game play. The gaming ticket further includes a set of instructions for calculating a final prize, utilizing a multiplier, which is determined from the sum of the play scores or the total accumulated base prize amounts.

A first alternate method of the present invention for calculating a final prize amount awarded to a player of a gaming ticket requires the initial step of playing at least two rounds of an instant win lottery game on a gaming ticket, each of which awards the player with a score and/or an associated base prize amount. A final prize amount awarded to the player of the gaming ticket is determined, utilizing a multiplier, based on either the total amount of associated base prizes awarded to the player, or on the player's accumulated score upon completion of game play. The multiplier is applied to either the total amount of the associated base prizes, or to a predetermined base prize amount, yielding a final prize amount.

In a second alternate embodiment, the present invention provides a gaming ticket having a unitary ticket body on which is provided concealed game play indicia for at least one instant win lottery game requiring at least two plays or rounds to complete. Each play or round of the game provides a player with the possibility of winning a base prize amount when the concealed game play indicia is revealed during game play. Each play or round of the game further provides a player with the possibility of multiplying the base prize amount based upon the outcome of the play or round of the game. The final prize for the instant win lottery game is the combined sum of the winnings for each individual game play or round.

A second alternate method of the present invention for calculating a final prize amount awarded to a player of a gaming ticket requires the initial step of playing at least two rounds of an instant win lottery game on a gaming ticket, each of which provides the player with an opportunity to win an associated prize amount, determined as a multiple of a base prize amount in response to the outcome of the round. A final prize amount awarded to the player of the gaming ticket is determined to be the sum of the associated prize amounts awarded for each round of play of the instant win lottery game.

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention as well as presently preferred embodiments thereof will become more apparent from the reading of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification:

FIG. 1A illustrates an instant win gaming ticket having preprinted game indicia and using a prize determination system according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1B illustrates the instant win gaming ticket of FIG. 1A with the preprinted game indicia initially concealed from view by a removable covering;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a preferred method of the present invention for determining an enhanced prize amount;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a first alternate method of the present invention for determining an enhanced prize amount; and

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a second alternate method of the present invention for determining an enhanced prize amount.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. The description clearly enables one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives, and uses of the invention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the invention.

Turning to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a gaming ticket 10 embodying a prize enhancing feature of the present invention is shown. The gaming ticket 10 is preferably of unitary construction, and includes on a front face 11 an optional background region 12, a game region 14, a game play instruction region 16. The background region 12, if present, incorporates various artwork, graphical representations, and text, such as game titles, logos, potential prize amounts, and slogans, generally intended to attract a player's attention, and which form no part of the present invention.

As seen in FIG. 1A, the game region 14 provides preprinted game indicia 18 associated with two or more instant win lottery games 20. While the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A illustrates game indicia 18 associated with a set of Blackjack-style instant win lottery games 20, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that any of a wide variety of instant win lottery game styles may be utilized with the present invention, and accordingly, that the game indicia 18 may vary from that shown in FIG. 1A without deviating from the present invention, provided that the game indicia 18 for each instant win lottery game 20 provides a player with sufficient play information 18A to determine if the instant win lottery game 20 has been won or lost, and a base prize amount 18B awarded in the event of a win.

Preferably, some or all of the preprinted game indicia 18 on gaming ticket 10 is concealed from view prior to game play by a removable medium 24, such as shown in FIG. 1B, as is conventional in the gaming ticket industry. The removable medium may consist of a latex ink, a pull tab, or any other means to conceal the preprinted game indicia 18 from a player's view which is removable or displaceable to reveal the preprinted game indicia 18 during the play of an instant win lottery game 20.

During the course of play of the gaming ticket 10, a player removes the removable medium 24 from each instant win lottery game 20, and identifies, according to the rules of the game as set forth in the game play instruction region 16, if each instant win lottery-game 20 is a winning game. In the example shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, an instant win lottery game 20 is identified as a winning game if the revealed game indicia 18A identified as “YOUR HAND” has a greater Blackjack value than the revealed game indicia 18A identified as “DEALER'S HAND.” For each instant win lottery game 20 identified as a winning game, the player is awarded the indicated base prize amount 18B associated with the instant win lottery game 20. For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, the instant win lottery games 20, identified as “Game 1” and “Game 4” are winning games, awarding the player base prize amounts 18B of $10.00 and $10.00, respectively.

As set forth in the game play instruction region 16, a total prize amount to be awarded to a player for the gaming ticket 10 is determined by multiplying the sum of the base prize amounts 18B awarded to the player for winning instant win lottery games 20 by the total number of instant win lottery games 20 won on the gaming ticket 10. The total prize amount P can be expressed mathematically as: $\begin{matrix} {P = {W \cdot {\sum\limits_{n = 1}^{W}B_{n}}}} & {{Eqn}.\quad 1} \end{matrix}$

where W=the total number of instant win lottery games won; and

where B_(n)=the base prize awarded in the n^(th) instant win lottery game won.

A preferred method of the present invention for determining an enhanced prize for a set of games is illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 2. While the method is described in connection with FIG. 2 in the embodiment of a gaming ticket 10 incorporating a set of instant win lottery games 20, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the method is not limited to use with gaming tickets 10 and instant win lottery games 20, but rather, may be utilized to determine an enhance prize amount for any of a variety of games.

Initially, a player purchases (Box 100) a gaming ticket 10 having at least two discrete instant win lottery games 20. The player proceeds to play one of the instant win lottery games 20 (Box 102), and determines if the game is a winning game or a losing game (Box 104). If the game is a losing game, the player then determines if at least one instant win lottery game 20 remains un-played on the gaming ticket 10 (Box 106). If at least one instant win lottery game 20 remains un-played, the player proceeds to play the instant win lottery game 20 (Box 102).

Upon determination (Box 104) of a winning instant win lottery game 20, a count of winning games is incremented (Box 108), and the base prize amount 18B awarded in connection with the winning instant win lottery game 20 is added to the player's total winnings (Box 110). Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the count of winning games and the player's total winnings need not be physically manifested, provided a permanent record of each winning instant win lottery game 20 and associated base prize amount 18B is presented on the gaming ticket 10, enabling the current count of winning games and the player's total winnings to be easily determined at any point during the play of the gaming ticket 10.

A first alternate method of the present invention is illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 3 for determining an enhanced prize in connection with a gaming ticket 10 having a game which is played with a sequence of steps or rounds. Instant win lottery games having golf themes, wherein a player attains a score upon revealing game indicia for each “hole” played, or bowling themes wherein a player attains a score upon revealing game indicia for each “frame” played are exemplary of games having a sequence of steps or rounds. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that a wide variety of such games are known, and that the method and apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the specific game embodiments described herein.

Initially, a player purchases the gaming ticket 10 (Box 200) and proceeds to play the first round or step in the associated game (Box 202). Upon completion of a single round or step in the associated game, the player determines an outcome (Box 204) which includes either obtaining a score for the round of play and/or obtaining a base prize amount for the round of play. The score or prize amount obtained in each round or step is combined with the scores or prizes obtained in previous rounds of play to maintain a tally of the player's total score and/or total prize winnings during the play of the game. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the score count and/or the player's total winnings need not be physically manifested, provided a permanent record of the scores obtained each round and/or the associated base prize amounts is presented on the gaming ticket 10, enabling the current score and the player's total winnings to be easily determined at any point during the play of the gaming ticket 10.

After each game round or step is completed, the player will determine if any game rounds or steps remain un-played (Box 208), and proceed to play the next game round or step (Box 202) until all game rounds or steps have been completed. Upon completion of all of the game rounds or steps, a prize multiplier value is determined (Box 210). Preferably, the prize multiplier value is determined based on the cumulative total of either the player's score count and/or the player's total winnings falling within predetermined ranges.

For example, in a bowling-themed game, the player achieves a score each “frame” of the game, upon completion of all of the “frames” in the game, the player's scores for each “frame” are summed to provide a cumulative score. If the cumulative score is between 0 and 100, the prize multiplier value is 1×, for a cumulative score between 101 and 200, the prize multiplier is 2×, and for a cumulative score between 201 and 300, the prize multiplier is 3×.

Once the prize multiplier value is determined, the final prize amount is determined utilizing the prize multiplier (Box 212). Preferably, the player's cumulative total winnings are multiplied by the determined prize multiplier to calculate the final prize amount, or alternatively, a predetermined base prize for the game may be multiplied by the determined prize multiplier to calculate the final prize amount.

Turning to FIG. 4, the steps of a second alternate method of the present invention are shown. Initially, a player purchases the gaming ticket 10 (Box 300) and proceeds to play the first round or step in the associated game (Box 302). Upon completion of a single round or step in the associated game, the player determines an outcome (Box 304) which includes obtaining a score for the round of play and obtaining a base prize amount for the round of play.

For each round of play, the score obtained during that round of play is compared with at least one predetermined qualification score to determine if the round score qualifies the player to receive an increased award for that round of play (Box 306). If the score does not qualify the player to receive an increased award, the player's cumulative game score and/or prize total amounts are incremented by the outcome of the game round (Box 308). If the player qualifies to receive an increased award, the base prize for the round of play is multiplied by a predetermined multiplier based on the qualification score the player received (Box 310) to determine a game round outcome, and the player's cumulative game score and/or prize total amounts are then incremented by the outcome of the game round (Box 308).

The score and/or prize amounts obtained in each round are combined with the scores or prizes obtained in previous rounds of play to maintain a tally of the player's total score and/or total prize winnings during the play of the game. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the score count and/or the player's total winnings need not be physically manifested, provided a permanent record of the scores obtained each round and/or the associated base prize amounts and any predetermined multipliers for individual rounds is presented on the gaming ticket 10, enabling the current score and the player's total winnings to be easily determined at any point during the play of the gaming ticket 10.

After each game round or step is completed, the player will determine if any game rounds remain un-played (Box 312), and proceed to play the next game round or step (Box 302) until all game rounds or steps have been completed. Upon completion of all of the game rounds the player's cumulative prize is determined as the final sum of all of the game round amounts awarded during the play of the game (Box 314), and is awarded to the player (Box 316).

For example, in a bowling-themed game, the player achieves a score each “frame” of the game and is awarded a base prize amount for each frame as a frame prize. If the player scores a “spare” during any given frame, the base prize amount associated with that frame is multiplied by two to determine an increased frame prize amount. Similarly, if the player scores a “strike” during any given frame, the base prize amount associated with that frame is multiplied by three to determine an increased frame prize amount. Upon completion of all of the “frames” in the game, the player's scores for each “frame” are optionally summed to provide a cumulative score, while the frame prizes, including any increase frame prize amounts are summed to determine a cumulative prize total for the game, which is awarded to the player.

The apparatus and methods of the present invention are intended for use in any of a wide variety of lottery or chance games, and are not intended to be restricted to any specific government authorized or sponsored games of chance. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the methods of the present invention may be adapted for use in enhancing the prizes awarded to players of electronic gambling machines, and hence, in alternate embodiments the present invention can be embodied in-part in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. The present invention can also be embodied in the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or an other computer readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into, and executed by, an electronic device such as a computer, micro-processor or logic circuit, the device becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention.

The methods of the present invention can also be embodied in part in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. When implemented in a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results are obtained. As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 

1. A method for determining a prize awarded to a player for playing a plurality of games, each having an associated base prize, the method comprising altering a sum of associated base prizes based on a total number of games won.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said altering step includes multiplying said base prize sum by said total number of games won.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said altering step includes multiplying each associated base prize by said total number of games won to determine an enhanced game prize for each game won; and summing each of said enhanced game prizes to determine said altered base prize sum.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of games is an instant win lottery game.
 5. A method for determining a final prize amount awarded to a player for playing a game having a plurality of steps, each of which awards the player an associated score and an associated base prize, the method comprising: determining a total of associated scores and a total of associated base prizes following completion of said plurality of steps in the game; selecting a prize multiplier responsive to said total of associated scores; and multiplying said total of associated base prizes by said selected prize multiplier to determine the final prize amount.
 6. The method of claim 5 for determining a final prize amount where said selecting step includes comparing said total of associated scores with at least one predetermined value to select said prize multiplier.
 7. A method for determining a final prize amount awarded to a player for playing a game having a base prize and a plurality of steps, each of which awards the player an associated score, the method comprising: determining a total of associated scores following completion of said plurality of steps in the game; selecting a prize multiplier responsive to said total of associated scores; and multiplying said base prize by said selected prize multiplier to determine the final prize amount.
 8. The method of claim 7 for determining a final prize amount where said selecting step includes comparing said total of associated scores with at least one predetermined value to select said prize multiplier.
 9. A method for determining a final prize amount awarded to a player for playing a game having a plurality of steps, each of which has at least one associated base prize value, the method comprising: determining a total of associated base prize values awarded following completion of said plurality of steps in the game; selecting a prize multiplier responsive to said total of associated base prize values; and multiplying said total of associated base prize values by said selected prize multiplier to determine the final prize amount.
 10. The method of claim 9 for determining a final prize amount where said selecting step includes comparing said total of associated base prize values with at least one predetermined value to select said prize multiplier.
 11. A gaming ticket comprising: game indicia defining at least two instant win lottery games, each of which having associated therewith a predetermined base prize value; and wherein a final prize amount associated with the gaming ticket is determined based on the number of winning instant win lottery games on the ticket.
 12. The gaming ticket according to claim 11 wherein said final prize amount is determined as a multiple of a sum of said base prize values awarded for winning instant win lottery games on the ticket.
 13. The gaming ticket according to claim 11 wherein said final prize amount is determined as a sum of said base prize values awarded for winning instant win lottery games on the ticket multiplied by the number of winning instant win lottery games on the ticket.
 14. A gaming ticket comprising: game indicia defining a game including a plurality of steps, each of which having associated therewith a determinable score and a predetermined base prize value; and wherein a final prize amount associated with the gaming ticket is determined based on a sum of the determinable scores for each of said plurality of steps and a sum of said predetermined base prize values.
 15. The gaming ticket according to claim 14 wherein said final prize amount is determined as a multiple of said predetermined base prize values.
 16. The gaming ticket according to claim 15 wherein a multiplier value for said predetermined base prize values is determined based on said sum of the determinable scores for each of said plurality of steps.
 17. A gaming ticket comprising: game indicia defining a game having a base prize value and including a plurality of steps, each of which having associated therewith a determinable score; and wherein a final prize amount associated with the gaming ticket is determined based on a sum of the determinable scores for each of said plurality of steps and said predetermined base prize value.
 18. The gaming ticket according to claim 17 wherein said final prize amount is determined as a multiple of said predetermined base prize value.
 19. The gaming ticket according to claim 18 wherein a multiplier value for said predetermined base prize value is determined based on said sum of the determinable scores for each of said plurality of steps.
 20. A gaming ticket comprising: game indicia defining a game having a plurality of steps, each of which having associated therewith a base prize value; and wherein a final prize amount associated with the gaming ticket is determined as a multiple of the sum of the base prize values.
 21. The gaming ticket according to claim 20 wherein a multiplier value for said sum of the base prize values is determined based on said sum of the base prize values.
 22. A method for determining a final prize amount awarded to a player for playing a game having a plurality of rounds of game play, the method comprising: for each round of game play, determining a game round score and an associated game round base prize; responsive to said game round score exceeding at least one predetermined qualifying score, increasing said associated game round base prize; and awarding a final prize amount equal to a sum of said associated game round base prizes determined for each round of game play.
 23. The method of claim 22 for determining a final prize amount wherein responsive to said game round score exceeding a first predetermined qualifying score, said associated game round base prize is increased by a first amount; and responsive to said game round score exceeding a second predetermined qualifying score, said associated game round base prize is increased by a second amount.
 24. The method of claim 22 for determining a final prize amount wherein said step of increasing said associated game round base prize includes multiplying said associated game round base prize by a multiplier value.
 25. The method of claim 24 for determining a final prize amount wherein said multiplier value is selected responsive to said game round score.
 26. A gaming ticket comprising: game indicia defining a game having a plurality of rounds, each of which having associated therewith a game round score and a game round base prize value; wherein a game round prize value for each of said plurality of rounds is determined as a multiple of said game round base prize value, responsive to said game round score; and wherein a final prize amount associated with the gaming ticket is determined as a sum of said game round prize values. 